Abbey veterinary centre staff

Veterinary surgeons

Dr. Jacqueline Buck BVM&S, BA, MRCVS
Post Graduate Certificate: Diagnostic Imaging (ESPVS)
Practice Principal
Neurology, Magnetic Resonance Imaging,
Spinal and Orthopaedic Surgery, Internal Medicine, Dermatology

Dr. Charles Ross BVMS MRCVS
Consultant

Dr. Miro Ahmed BVet Med MRCVS
General Practitioner
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Neurology

Dr. Farah de Souza BVSc&AH MRCVS
General Practitioner
Small Animal Surgery

Dr. Meente Schijf BVSc MRCVS
General Practitioner
Small Animal Surgery

Dr. Cameron Sheppard BVMS MRCVS
General Practitioner
Small Animal Surgery

Dr Jacub Vodnarek MVDr MRCVS
General Practitioner
Small Animal Surgery

Dr Brian Man-Yin Leung BA Vet MB MRCVS
General Practitioner
Diagnostic Imaging

The Abbey Veterinary Centre has a permanent team of seven veterinary surgeons. The experience of our senior vets means that the practice provides excellent veterinary support for recent or relatively recent graduates. All vets rotate equally through wards, consultations and theatre and we actively encourage all veterinary staff towards competence in all fields. Nobody monopolises the more interesting medical or surgical cases.

There are more than forty hospital kennels in our medical, surgical and isolation wards, so hospitalisation and intensive investigation plus appropriate medical and post-surgical nursing is never a problem here. The extensive accommodation means that it is very easy for a pet to be admitted and examined at length and case-conferenced with other vets if the veterinary surgeon who is in charge of the case wishes to do so. This is particularly helpful for new and recent veterinary surgeon graduates who may wish to have their thoughts about a case confirmed before discussing treatment with the client. Our nurses run all laboratory investigations, radiography and electrocardiography which means that the veterinary surgeons are free to chase diagnoses and make decisions about treatment regimes.

We recognise the professional obligation of veterinary surgeons to continually enhance their skills, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is therefore supported both financially and by allowing periods of absence for CPD. All veterinary surgeons get five days’ paid CPD per year plus a generous CPD allowance. In addition, we also fund in-house CPD which is closely allied to the needs of the practice. For example, any newly employed veterinary surgeon will receive one to one training, in working time, to develop and improve their imaging capabilities and enable them to take full advantage of the practice’s diagnostic facilities for ultrasound and eventually MRI. Anyone wishing to study for a certificate is actively encouraged to do so. Additional CPD time is available for veterinary surgeons who wish to study for a certificate providing they are willing to commit to remaining working with us for the period of study.

We are also firm believers that having a better quality of life will result in a happier working environment, so time to relax and do things other than veterinary medicine is a priority. Although we cover all out-of-hours ourselves on an equally shared rota, without the use of an emergency clinic, we also enjoy seven weeks’ holiday per year (35 working days) and an additional two days off in the week following every on-duty weekend. This means that if you’ve worked a weekend, in the following week you are off from Wednesday evening to the following Monday morning! This equates to over ten weeks’ holiday per year. This time can be used for personal activities, travel etc, but may also be used to locum in other practices at a reasonable distance from us if the veterinary surgeon wants to experience life in other working environments or simply make more money. It should be noted that there is 24 hour on-site nursing support for the duty vet.

If you are a new or recent graduate, for your first couple of months of night or weekend duties you will be accompanied by a senior veterinary surgeon who will advise and mentor you and who will step in if it is thought necessary. Even when you are eventually on your own, a senior vet will always be available on the end of a telephone to be consulted and to give advice and support on any cases which concern you.

We have a generous starting salary for recent graduates and we provide excellent accommodation away from the main surgery if required.